Inside I know you know the truth, but it’s hard for you to understand.

See I made you with a hunger,

and a never-ending thirst.

I said that you will find me,

If you will simply look.

Don’t look with the eyes of man,

that have taught you to be afraid.

Instead you must search blindly, that’s how you develop faith.

Don’t worry you wont be “blind” for long I just want you to trust me.

My vast character,

my grand plan…

to paint the sky with another sunrise or sunset,

to give you another heart beat and yes another breath.

I can not let you go yet…

no, not just yet…

not until you know the reason…

I died to pay your debt.

It’s because I love you with a never-ending love

far beyond what you’ve ever known.

I want to give you the chance to grow in that love and learn to love me back.

We could have something great, something that will truly last,

because I will never leave you and you will never want to look back at what life used to be like without me.

You see I have been waiting for you all of your entire life.

Waiting for you to notice me and give me a chance.

I will prove myself to you…I don’t get scared of a fight,

you can argue with me and test me, I won’t run and hide.

I won’t trow a fit because you’ve made me wait…instead I will just quietly say…

Come.

Follow me.

Let me be your guide,

I know all the best routes, and while you have been carrying that heavy burden all your life,

come and trade it for mine…

for my yolk is easy, my burden is light.

This is not a trick,

I am not a salesman, I won’t cost you more than you can pay.

Plus I’ll provide for you, all that you need to make it through each day.

I will never let you down.

You can really trust me, and while you are growing in your relationship with me

I will help you to become more than you ever dreamed plus a man of integrity or a women of purity.

In me you will find such joy, and peace past your understanding,

I really just want to set you free of all things that make you look sadly.

Things you are not so proud of…things you’ed rather not share

Things you don’t dare…to even say.

I already know them…and I am ready to take them away.

Salvation is yours, it’s my gift to you.

Freedom, and love…honesty and integrity, joy, peace, hope and me…all of me, for you see I am Immanuel; God with you.

If you just read this and something inside you said “yes” and now for the first time you want to give your life to God, let’s pray together.

Lord Jesus, I know how scary it is to try new things, and I know that this person may be feeling unsure and afraid. I ask that you would give them peace right now and help them to understand what it is you have done for them I pray that they will give their hearts to you and live the rest of their lives joyfully in your service. Please help them to find the courage now to ask you to forgive them of their sins, and to truly believe that you are God, that you died on the cross for them and three days later raised from the dead. I pray that they will ask you to be lord of their life and to kindle your light inside them as you make your home with them, and give them the gift of the holy spirit. Help them to take the next step and find a good church to grow in and people who genuinely love You who can then love them. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Warning: The following entry may upset you, it may offend as well…but you know I am not perfect and I can’t please everyone. I am tired of always bowing to everyone else s opinions just because I am the “nice Christian” does not mean I have to agree, or sit quietly and say nothing. I am to be a cultivator of peace but most of the anti-God people I know out there do not have peace on their tongues or in their hearts when they are wielding them at me. I can’t sit by and say nothing, I have to be ready with a response for why I believe what I believe. I am passionate about Christ, I know the power of this transformed life and I don’t want anyone else to miss it. I have written the following not because I want to hurt or offend but because I feel like many people need to hear what I believe is becoming a growing epidemic of hard hearts and shut ears. People are so biased against God that when the subject is broached they have already written me off! As if the very God of creation did anything to offend them? He meticulously wove them in their mothers wombs, and died on the cross just so He could know them in a more intimate way. The desire is not one sided either, so many people talk about feeling empty, they try and fill their hearts, minds, and souls but nothing seems to satisfy. I know I have the answer…Jesus. He will perfectly fit that whole..you want to know why? Because it was a God shaped void…I am not saying that if you accept the gift of salvation and start developing a relationship with God that everything will be better…but at least you wont be alone…and eventually it will get better. God loves you too much to leave you in the mess, and He created you and purposed you for so much more…. that’s why you have so many gifts and talents. I pray that you will read this and rather than be offended your heart will be pricked and you will decide to get to know the God of your salvation…Immanuel: God with us, that’s Jesus.

You ask for proof!

Your own demise is written in your eyes,

void, as they are of truth.

Why can’t you see that if you would just look

with eyes that wanted to see

then proof…

well you would find it.

Instead you demand proof

but refuse to see

because you have already decided.

You have a disposition that is set against,

a bias if you will,

like a child,

who seeing but not knowing,

refuses to even try it!

Your staggering intellect has made you dumb.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved

it is the very power of God.

You want proof then here is some.

Diggers dig

and find in the ground

ancient kingdoms

whose histories are found within the scripture.

If historians

and scientists

recognize the Bible as a reliable source of history

don’t you think that makes it a little bit more trustworthy?

A standard test

to determine the authenticity and trustworthiness of books

found from earlier periods of time

is to test them against other copies of the same text,

and also to see how many copies of the same text are available.

For example:

If I had a copy of Homers Iliad

I could compare it to only a few of its other copies to prove that it was indeed a copy of that famous writing.

In comparison

we have found over five thousand early copies of the New Testament.

When compared to each other

they are amazingly accurate.

This is important to understand,

the Bible as being trustworthy.

These manuscripts of the New Testament date back to

before the close of the first century…

this means that there were still lots of people around who had witnessed what was written in the text.

Had there been any inaccuracy to the accounts there would have been plenty of people around to contest the writing.

Plainly put, the authors of those books knew that if what they wrote was found to be inaccurate

Oh Lord, you are so good. You who hung every star in the sky and know them each by name, I marvel at your greatness, and wish I could grasp a better knowledge of you. Lord I can only imagine how great your love for us is, sometimes I think I begin to understand and then something happens and I find myself again just grasping at straws utterly in awe of you and who you are. Would that I could fathom your love to the true heights that it fly’s or depths that it dwells but as it is now all I can do is say thank you for utterly changing my life.

Thank you for your word Lord, and how I can learn so much about your mercy and faithfulness in it. I read it and although I might not always understand it I know that in whole it is the most beautiful love story ever told. It is truly amazing. Lord thank you for not giving up on mankind, for loving us so much that you sent your only son to die in our place, you paid the price so we could once again find our completeness in you.

Lord this thanksgiving I pray that all who are lost will be found, all who are seeking will find and that in this great nation my neighbors and fellow Americans will once again remember the great principles on which this country was founded…and in humility and awe turn to you in one remembering who they should be giving thanks too.

I never promised you anything…not even a single thing, so hopefully you won’t be disappointed.

I am going to do something either very brave or very stupid and “come out” of the proverbial closet…not the “I’m gay” one but the other closet that everyone has at least one dark secret in. I am going to tell you that *hold’s breath* I….well, I am a Christian. There I said it! I don’t know why I have been tip toeing around this except for the fact that being a Christian these days is so very unpopular, and often I find that when I let people know what my faith is they tend to just sort of role there eyes and say “oohh she’s one of those”. I always think yep, yep I am one of those people who will love you no matter what, always speak truth in love, never “bible bang you” and try my very best to share the reason for my hope in Jesus to anyone who will listen. They don’t mean it like that though…they mean one of those “say your a Christian types” who only “say” and never “do”. They automatically toss me into the category of hypocrites, hatemongers, and judgmental fakers, which sadly many people who claim to be Christians are today, but that does not mean that I am and really by just assuming the worst it does us both such a huge disservice.

How can I show you that I am the real deal if you have already drawn your own conclusion about me?

How can I become a friend if you have already decided that I am most likely the type that does not “play well with others”?

I tell you now this simply will not do! You must give me the benefit of at least checking me out! I make a really good friend, or at least I try my very best and what more can be said in that regard? I am so, so, so sorry if you have been hurt or driven away from ever wanting anything to do with God or any of the quote “Christians” who follow Him because of something bad that happened to you, or some disservice done to you, or any other multitude of terrible possibilities. I apologize on behalf of the entire Christian faith and ask, oh please may I have a clean slate!?!

Thanks a heap! Your the best! Now I am sure to be put to the test…here’s to hoping I don’t disappoint, but oh blast, I am just a human and a Christian at that.